


Jiraiya's Atonement

by Salachan9



Series: Ripples and Consequences [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Author is not bashing any character in this fic, Character POVs, F/M, Gen, Jiraiya - Freeform, Jiraiya needs to learn that actions have consequences, M/M, Original Character(s), Summon Animals, Thank You!, Who leaves in the middle of the war to play house?, seriously, they will be biased due to hurt and angry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-09-21 03:40:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9530048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salachan9/pseuds/Salachan9
Summary: Jiraiya returns to Konoha with certain expectations. Needless to say, each and every one of his expectation is shattered into teeny-tiny pieces.





	1. Biwako's Anger

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> It is horribly funny how many of you want Jiraiya to suffer for his actions against Orochimaru! As it is this is credited to the following:  
> Ø RueLukas  
> Ø Gabi  
> Ø catlinp1997   
> Ø Kri-Kee  
> Ø Pyrothebookworm  
> Ø All those who wanted Jiraiya to be pranked! :)  
> I apologize if I missed anyone out!

** Time: January, One year after Obito meets Orochimaru. **

 

It has been almost three years since Jiraiya last came to Konoha. He had left (in the middle of the war) to train three Ame kids. Obstinately, he had given his reason as him trying to atone for his part in the war. He had also used the excuse of him trying to expand his spy-base as a reason for staying away from Konoha. Personally, he had just been tired and jealous.

Tired of the fighting, of the never ending death and destruction. Jealous of the growing closeness between Tsunade and Kaito Dan. He had not wanted to see the happy couple, so he had remained behind in Ame, and let his teammates go before him.

It is a good thing that Jiraiya holds the Hokage's love, otherwise his actions would have been written down as treasonous, instead of making it look as though Jiraiya was working for the betterment of Konoha. It is a bad thing that Jiraiya holds the Hokage's love, otherwise he would have been made to realize that one does not leave in the middle of a War. That one does not abandon one's village when they need more manpower. It was lucky that the war ended soon after Jiraiya's leaving.

( _L_ _ucky that Tsunade and Orochimaru remained. Lucky that they continued to fight, even without the third that completed their team. Lucky that the other Konoha shinobi were too busy fighting, and therefore not questioning the absence of one of their best heavy-hitting fighter. Lucky. The Gods do love their fools, don’t they?_ ).

It is a good and bad thing that Jiraiya holds the Hokage's heart, for Hiruzen will never have the heart to tell Jiraiya what his actions had cost. But, then again, he doesn't have to. There are so many people who are more than willing to hammer the price others paid for Jiraiya's so-called moralistic actions. It is just that these people are ninja, or training to be ninja, so they don't tell him, but rather punish him for it.

 

The only reason Jiraiya lives is because he is loved by Hiruzen and, to a lesser extent, by Orochimaru. And Biwako, Obito, Konomi, Kakashi, Gai, Rin and Asuma love both of them. And for their sake, they are willing to be merciful. Also, for the sake of Konoha, which uses Jiraiya's reputation to strike fear in the hearts of her enemies. It'd be troublesome to train another heavy-hitter to gain the same reputation as Jiraiya. So no death, but torture? Oh, torture is just fine.

* * *

 

Jiraiya returns with expectations. Many expectations, like:

  * Being greeted by the villagers, who no doubt would be happy to welcome him back.
  * Him enduring the lovey-dovey relation of Tsunade and Dan. He has had three years to come to terms with it. He is going to be fine.
  * Orochimaru and he continuing the friendly rivalry, and giving the shovel talk to Dan. Jiraiya has a whole speech prepared!
  * He expects that he would have to drag Orochimaru out of his labs. Jiraiya is sure that Orochimaru has shut himself up there, with no human contact. That anti-social Bastard!
  * Maybe Hiruzen-sensei would have some mission ready for him… his spy-ring is working really well now!
  * Minato would be so happy to see him! Jiraiya hasn't seen his apprentice in three years, he expects a warm welcome, and Minato showing off his improved skills!
  * He wonders if Minato and Kushina are dating yet… They must be around 18 and 17 years old now. Gosh, Jiraiya feels old now… He is only 26…
  * Kushina would like to know about her cousin. Jiraiya expects her is be very happy. *giggle*
  * He can't wait to see how the Onsen has changed! Three years on the road has increased Jiraiya's enjoyment and appreciation for the female body. He can't wait!



 

Yes, Jiraiya has a lot of expectations, and he is ready to be welcomed like the prodigal son. After all, his village must have missed him.

 

(Thinking of yourself as a moral man, especially in comparison to your, universally acknowledged, amoral teammate, does not make one a good man. Indeed, it merely makes one an egoistic one, also a narrow-minded one. It is good, therefore, that there are people in Jiraiya's life who are more than happy to bring him to task, especially with regard to responsibilities and the importance of staying.)

* * *

 

The moment Hiruzen receives intelligence that Jiraiya is on his way to Konoha, he is filled with both despair and anticipation. Despair over the paperwork that would surely end up on his desk, anticipation over the reasons why the paperwork would appear. He is not blind, for all the he is indulgent. He knows that his children (all ninja are his children, a few more favored than the others) are planning on pranking Jiraiya for the heartbreak he has caused. And while Hiruzen will not join in on the pranking, he has no problem turning a blind eye towards it. Jiraiya deserves it, after all.

Hiruzen informs his wife of Jiraiya's imminent arrival (he is to be in Konoha in two days), and then happily ignores the sadistic smile on her face as she calls for a Snakeling (Duckling) Meeting. Hiruzen also chooses to ignore the fact that along with the four kids (Obito, Kakashi, Rin and Gai) Kushina, Minato and Fugaku are also in attendance. Hiruzen merely feels warm at the solidarity being shown by his ninja.

Oh, yes. Hiruzen is going to enjoy this.

 

(Hiruzen might have forgiven Jiraiya his actions, but that doesn't change the fact that there had been many times during the war when he could have used Jiraiya's expertise in the war. As it is, he had had to make do with those who were of lesser caliber than Jiraiya, sometimes having to send more than one ninja, where only one would have sufficed. Hiruzen has forgiven, but forgetting comes more difficult for him.)

* * *

 

The first of Jiraiya's expectation breaks when he goes unrecognized by majority of the villagers he comes across. It is not that Jiraiya has an ego, per se, but he is one of the Sannin. Granted, the title had been given to them on the event of their defeat, but surely, the people have heard of him? Outside of Konoha many actually had recognized him, so the fact his own village doesn't disturbs him.

Vowing to find out the cause for it later, Jiraiya decides to go visit the Hokage, and submit his mission report. The report is merely a justification that Jiraiya had a valid reason to have done what he did. He knows that the Hokage will accept it.

 

(Hiruzen will. Biwako on the other hand… Well.)

* * *

 

Jiraiya comes out of his meeting with the Hokage mildly concerned. Hiruzen-sensei had not said a word against Jiraiya's action. Indeed, Hiruzen had not mentioned it at all, having simply taken the report from Jiraiya with a "Welcome Home. I shall look through the report later. Is there anything in the report that needs to be dealt immediately? If not, then I shall call upon you later, if needed. Thank you, Jiraiya."

That's it. No scolding about staying behind in Ame. No asking the reasons why. No information about Tsunade or Orochimaru. Nothing.

This was not the warm welcome Jiraiya had been expecting. Truth be told, it is not even the negative reaction he had been dreading. It had been flat, normal. As though Jiraiya had come back from a simple mission, rather than a three year absence. What was going on?

 

(It takes Hiruzen all his self-control not to lash out. He is the Hokage, and he cannot become personal here. But he is the Hokage, and he knows that he should have at least reprimanded Jiraiya for his actions. But Hiruzen knows that if he were to start, then he would not stop until all the _hurt_ and _anger_ Jiraiya has caused comes rushing out, and that is not Hokage behaviour. So, he controls himself, and leaves the punishment to others. It is freeing not having to be the one responsible for it.) 

* * *

 

 

Jiraiya leaves the confusing meeting, and decides to go check on Tsunade. Knowing that she would be at Dan's, he makes his way over to Dan's house.

 _This isn't right. What happened here?_ Jiraiya stands staring at the abandoned and sealed off house that had belonged to Kaito Dan and his niece. The seals are keeping from decay, but it is clear to see that no one has lived here for a long time. What happened?

Worry churning in his stomach, Jiraiya makes his way to Orochimaru's. He finds no one at Orochimaru's home, and decides to visit the labs where Orochimaru experimented. Surely, he would know. _What did I miss?_

As he nears the hidden labs inside the Hokage Mountain, Jiraiya's worry increases. He has to know what happened. _I need to know what I missed!_ Without waiting for permission, Jiraiya counters the seals holding the lab closed, and enters to find a horrifying scene.

Orochimaru standing over a cot. The cot holds a small child. A child who is attached to many machines that seem to be diagnosing the child's vitals. So many tubes attached to the child's arms. There is a big snake coiled next the child. There is a little blood on the child's sheet, and Jiraiya can see that the child looks pale.

It is horrifying. Yet, not very surprising to Jiraiya. _Orochimaru had always tried to find the limits of humanity, hadn't he?_

Jiraiya acts.

 

(Later, his mind would let me see what he missed in his arrogant belief that he had been right about Orochimaru. He had missed the medicines on the table beside the cot. He had missed the homey feeling the lab currently gave. He had missed the look of worry on Orochimaru's eyes as he took note of the child's vitals. He had missed that the blood had been from a cut in Orochimaru's hand, rather than from the child. He had missed that the tubes attached to the child where on the surface of the child's arms and not in him. He missed that the snake was sleeping. Jiraiya missed a lot. Damningly, he missed Sarutobi Biwako. But, that isn't surprising, is it?)

* * *

 

Orochimaru looks up at the entrance being blown open, but he can't find the energy to react right now. He leaves the intruder for Biwako to handle, and goes back to reading Ten-chan's vitals. The child had come down with a fever ( _Oh, how I am starting to hate that word. Why is it always a fever? ...Thank god, it is only a fever._ ) a day ago, and they had all been worried about Ten-chan's body being able to handle it. It doesn't help that Danzo had not left much behind regarding Ten-chan's birth.

As it is, Biwako and Orochimaru are not taking any chances. While Ten-chan's symptoms match a normal fever, they are keeping an eye on him to ensure it stays that way. They also need to make sure that Ten-chan doesn't hurt himself, as his bloodline has already lashed out once. It's a good thing Orochimaru is a ninja, or the stray branch that came out of Ten-chan's arm would have gone through Orochimaru's kidneys. As it is, he had been able protect himself, but the branch had still slashed his hand.

Orochimaru is just happy that Ten-chan had been unconscious. Even after being surrounded by kids for almost a year, he is still not very good at comforting. He leaves that to Obito, Sakumo and Biwako. It is hidden happiness that Hiruzen-sensei, Kakashi and Rin are as bad as he at comforting. It lightens his heart to know that he is not the only one.

Ignoring the sounds of fighting ( _or one sided thrashing, as the case may be. Didn't Sensei order that they were not to be disturbed? Whoever it is that came barging in deserves Biwako's beating. Honestly, what if they had woken Ten-chan? He just went to sleep!_ ) Orochimaru ensures that Ten-chan is sleeping peacefully. It had been a chore and a half to get that child to sleep. They had all taken turns to read, sing and rock the child to sleep.

In the end Orochimaru had ended up summoning Ryuuki to help Ten-chan sleep. Just as Kiyohime had taken Obito under her wing, Ryuuki had been enamored by Ten-chan from the moment they met, Ten-chan being the same. And for a python, Ryuuki was very gentle with Ten-chan.

 

( _It is funny_ , when Orochimaru thinks about it, _that these days I summon the snakes when I need help with the kids, rather than during a battle. I like this change_. What he doesn't like is his tired mind conjuring an image of the kids using Manda as a jungle gym. _I really need to sleep. I wonder who the intruder was. Oh, who cares._ ).

* * *

 

Jiraiya wakes up in a hospital with no recollection as to how he got there. Sadly for Jiraiya, and happily for many others, this situation will repeat itself many times in the following years.

 

(When questioned, Biwako will maintain that she had reacted on instinct and that she had not known that the intruder was Jiraiya.

 _How could I have known?_ She would reply, _It's been so long since I have seen him, that I have forgotten what his chakra feels like! Of course I thought he had come to do harm! Especially since he had shown signs of trying to attack Orochi-kun! I couldn’t let that happen now, could I?_

Hiruzen doesn't tell her that her excuse sounds a lot like Kakashi and Rin's justification for stalking Obito. Biwako knows, they were her inspiration, after all.)


	2. Pink! So much Pink!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nurse would like a Yamanaka to erase the past few hours of their life. It wasn't a request.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! Chapter 2!  
> Enjoy!

The next time Jiraiya wakes up, there is a kid staring at him with a contemplative look on her face. He says contemplative, only because saying that she has a _murderous_ look on her face sounds wrong, considering that she can’t be more than _three years old_.

He has to know, _what the hell is going on?_

He stares, the child stares back. He would have called her a cute kid, what with her dark blue hair and brown eyes, but for the _look_ on her face. Seriously, who was teaching _three year olds_ to make a face like _that_?

A soft sigh, a whispered _“Anko,”_ in a voice that was soaked in affection and exasperation, made the child startle and shift in an almost guilty manner. But, Jiraiya was beyond taking any amusement over the scene, as he had recognised that voice. How long had it been since he had heard that voice speak in such a soft manner? Surely, not since the death of the voice’s parents… So long, and Jiraiya had almost forgotten that Orochimaru had once spoken so softly, so affectionately, before he had lost his anchors.

Tsunade and Jiraiya had tired, and had succeed most of the time, but Orochimaru had slowly lost his affectionate voice, turning more and more inwards as the villagers whispers grew more and more louder.

Jiraiya looked into the soft, gentle lines of Orochimaru face, as he looked at the young child, and _ached._ It was a pain worse than any beating he had received. But, the best part? The best part was that this ache was _good_ , the kind of pain you received after working hard at something you loved, and finally gaining ground at become _good_ at it.

He didn’t know the how’s and whys, and right now Jiraiya didn’t care. Orochimaru looked happier and more stable than he had in almost fifteen years, and for that Jiraiya was grateful. He would any pain if it meant Orochimaru would continue to look so.

( _Later, Jiraiya would wish he had been careful before thinking that last part. He had meant it, sure, but he had not realised how eager the universe had been at making him live up to the ‘any pain’ part of his thoughts. He doesn’t regret it, no, but he does wish he had been a bit more careful in his wordings.)_

* * *

 

 

Orochimaru spent a few moments convincing the child to leave with another girl ( _when did she get here?)_ before turning to face Jiraiya. And Jiraiya, who still ached, could do no more than _stare_ at Orochimaru.

Minutes passed. Neither said a word, as Orochimaru settled himself into the visitor’s chair with a sigh, and continued to look at Jiraiya with a gentle look in his eyes that Jiraiya had thought he had lost to aggravation, experimentation and Orochimaru’s desire for knowledge. To have it back, after so long, was startling to say the least.

_(And so so very good. However it came to be, the Orochimaru Jiraiya knew from his childhood, who he had believed to be lost to him, was back. Maybe he wasn’t the same, but the basic traits were there, and Jiraiya looked forward to getting to know his best friend again.)_

As the staring match continued, neither willing to break the amicable silence, Jiraiya thought about the things he still needed to know. Things like Tsunade’s whereabouts ( _he wasn’t an idiot, if Tsunade was in Konoha, then she would be here, Dan or no Dan, waiting to chew Jiraiya out for landing himself in the hospital. That was what she did, always had, wherever he or Orochimaru got hurt enough for a hospital stay. She hated to see her loved ones hurt, and there was a reason she had become so proficient in Medical Jutsus at a young age. The fact that she wasn’t here, meant she wasn’t in Konoha. Was she on a Mission?_ ), Dan’s house being boarded up, HIruzen’s almost cold welcome, Biwako’s _painful_ welcome, and of course, the sight he had come across in the labs, of Orochimaru leaning over a young boy. Yes, there were a lot of things Jiraiya needed to know.

And, yet, the very first thing he asked, as he broke the silence was:

“So, when did you get a daughter, and why wasn’t I invited to the birth?”

And Orochimaru? Well, he _laughed_. And laughed. Before answering a _happy_ Jiraiya.

“Probably around the same time I got a son, another daughter, decided to co-parent two other sons, and officially became a co-guardian to another son and two more daughters. And considering even _I_ wasn’t there for their birth, it would have been hard to invite you, wouldn’t it?”

As Jiraiya tried to wrap his mind around the fact that Orochimaru (the same Orochimaru who had told him to mercy kill three orphaned children) was now a _father_ to who-knows-how-many children ( _eight? Or was it seven?)_ , a fact entered his mind. _I am now an Uncle! WooHoo!!!!!_

 

( _It would take Jiraiya one meeting to retract his earlier enthusiasm about the children. They were not very happy about him being their Uncle, and had no problem showing it. But, lack of enthusiasm or not, Jiraiya was a man on a mission, and his mission was to be the kids favourite Uncle and for them to forgive him for his crimes against Orochimaru. The fact that he had to work for it made the bonds between the kids and him all the more stronger. But, that was quite a while into the future.)_

* * *

* * *

 

Orochimaru ignored the slightly crazy grin Jiraiya was sporting, and smiled. When he had found out that it had been Jiraiya who had entered the lad and tried to attack him, he had been hurt. But if there was one thing he never shied away from, it was self-assessment. He knew himself, and he knew _how_ he had _been_. He knew the Orochimaru Jiraiya had last seen _would_ have been capable of experimenting on a child. Jiraiya had not known that Orochimaru had changed, and for that he was willing to forgive the assumption he had jumped to. Well, he was. His family on the other hand… Oh well. It served Jiraiya right for missing the last three years of Orochimaru’s life anyway.

(Just because he forgave Jiraiya for his assumptions, didn’t mean Orochimaru did not have or hold other grudges. He was petty, and he had no problems admitting it!)

As it is, Orochimaru looked forward to enjoying the _havoc_ his kids would inflict on Jiraiya. He will only interfere if they went too far, but other than that? Oh, he had made _bets_ on this, and was going to get his money worth one way or another!

For now, he was going to fill Jiraiya in on what had happened in the last three years, when he had been off playing house and then expanding his spy rings. It was the least he could do for his friend ( _his best friend, always had been, always would be, regardless of the hurts between them)_ who looked so _happy_ to see him laugh freely.

And while the subject wasn’t completely happy, he knew Jiraiya would enjoy hearing about Obito and his successful attempts to befriend the Village pariah.

* * *

* * *

 

After Orochimaru leaves, way past the end of the visiting hours (no one had dared to tell the snake summoner to leave), Jiriaya lays back on his bed and thinks.

He doesn’t regret saving and teaching the Ame kids, but maybe he could have done it differently. Brought them along with him to Konoha and raised them here. He knows his sensei, and he knows he would have been able to convince him to let the kids stay there for a while. And maybe, by doing that, he would have been _here_ and _available_ to go on Dan and Tsunade’s mission with them. And maybe, just maybe, his presence would have helped save Dan, and through him, save Tsunade. Maybe, maybe, maybe. That was the hard part of ninja life, so many maybes that went nowhere, but only led you into a self-destructive curve that ended up killing you and any who had the misfortune to love you and be with you.

Where was Tsunade now? Jiraiya wondered. So deep into her own maybes, that she couldn’t bear to even look at all the places she had once shared with Dan. Orochi had said that she had taken Dan’s niece with her as she left, and wasn’t the girl yet a child? If he remembered correctly the girl should be around four now, and Tsunade had left over a year ago. Travelling with a three to four year old, what was Tsunade thinking? She wasn’t, and wasn’t that a kick in the heart?

Jiraiya forced himself to stop thinking about her and Dan ( _dead, dead,dead,nonnononoononon)_ , and thought about the _better_ things that had happened in his absence. Better like Danzo’s death.

Honestly, the moment Jiraiya is out of the hospital, he is going to throw he biggest party ever, sensibilities be damned! He had always been wary of the one-eyed bastard, and the only reason he had tolerated the old man’s company was because he was his sensei’s friend. If not for that, he would have run in the other direction every time he came in contact with Danzo (he had done that a lot actually, just not as many times he would have liked, which was always).

The fact that Danzo had died at the hands of three five year old _academy children_ and Orochi’s snake (he knew there was a reason Kiyohime was his favourite among Orochi’s summons), was just the cherry on top! He can’t wait to meet the kids themselves! _My nieces and nephews! How nice!!!_

 

Jiraiya slowly sleeps, unaware that by tomorrow morning he is going to take back his nice thoughts about his nieces and nephews, but for now, he is quite happy to dream about becoming a full-fledged crazy-uncle to his best friend’s kids.

* * *

 

 

The hospital woke to frenzied and heart curdling screams of fury. It said something about its residents that they took this scream with nary a shudder, and merely raised the question of who would be the one to check on the screaming individual. Amongst the nurses, straws were drawn and the one with the shortest was given the “honour” of checking on the still screaming patient.

“Honour my ass!” was the nurse’s loud opinion. It was ignored along with the screaming, as the others went back to their duties.

The still grumbling nurse went towards the source of the screaming and figured out that it was coming from the Toad Sannin’s room.  Prepared for anything, the nurse pushed open the door to a horrible sight, and promptly joined their patient in screaming. Only their screaming was more coherent than their patient's.

“GAHHHHHH!! MY EYES!!!! IT BURNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Let it be known that the nurse was not being unprofessional. It was merely a loss of control over their iron-will, which they soon regained. But, honestly, even the most stoic would lose control over a sight such as this.

Jiraiya stopped screaming once he realised he had an actual audience to witness his predicament. And while he had been initially _furious_ about what had happened to him, now his fury was mixed with embarrassment over the fact that there was a witness. A witness who had seen him in all his current glory. _Maybe Sensei wouldn’t mind if I kill them? Excruciating circumstances and all?_

Because there was no way did Jiraiya want a _nyone_ to know what he looked like right now. He had woken up this morning feeling quite better, and had decided to take a shower to clean up. He had noticed nothing amiss, except for the lack of towels in the bathroom, but had merely put it down to a mistake. Since he was in a personal room, he had felt no hesitance in walking naked in his room. It was only for a little while anyway, just until he got fresh clothes from his pack that someone had been kind enough to bring to his room.

It was as he reached for something dry himself with that he noticed his arms. Then his legs. And, with growing horror, Jiraiya noticed the whole front of his body and as much as he could of his back. He tried to dispel his chakra, hoping this was an illusion, but nothing changed. His eyes didn’t lie to him.

His hair was pink. Not just any pink, no. It was a _vibrant, flashy pink_. With glitter. And not just the hair on his head, no. Every hair on his body was now a vibrant flashy pink, with golden glitter. To add insult to the injury, the glitter was shaped into tiny _hearts_ and _stars_.

And if it had been just the vibrant flashy pink hair, with heart and star-shaped golden glitter, then Jiraiya would have found a way to deal with it. Maybe. But then he had checked his pack, and found all his hard earned research was now replaced with a detailed explanation of plants, their biology, and the way their reproductive process worked.

Hence, his screams of fury. And hence, the nurse’s unintentional witnessing of a _naked pink haired and glitter covered_ Jiraiya.

Whoever it was that had done this, Jiraiya was going to _find_ them and make them _pay._

 _(When he found out that it had been his nieces and nephews, Jiraiya had been confused and hurt. When he found out why they had done what they did, he had been_ proud _. Going against powerful people, just because they had hurt the one they loved? Oh, Jiraiya can definitely appreciate such loyalty. That didn’t mean he didn’t get payback, oh no, but it did mean he didn’t hurt them. There had been enough hurts going around for a while now, it was time it stopped. Also, did he mention he was proud? Cause he really really was. So very proud.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not edited, please forgive any mistakes!


	3. Slips and Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya slips up. Kushina and Fugaku are a simple, yet terrifying team. Oro is subtle, and Jiraiya finally realises that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much in terms of pranks and humour, but something to help Jiraiya move forward.

Jiraiya is released from the hospital amidst snickers and horrified gasps. That is just from the Medics and Nurses who had checked him over to see if the _pink_ dye had any adverse effect on his healing. Thankfully, the dye was not harmful, though it was strong. Strong in the sense that it would take _days_ , if not months, for the dye to fade. And while there were solutions Jiraiya could use to help speed up the removal of the dye, it would still take a week to completely remove it from his body.

Whoever had dyed him had done their research. Though they probably didn’t realise that Jiraiya was a ninja, and hence proficient in using Henge. Which is exactly what he did as soon as he was given the all-clear by the medics.

(The nurse, who had the misfortune to be the first on the scene, was also given the dubious honour of being the one in charge of Jiraiya until he was discharged. They were not happy about this. Neither was Jiraiya, and it was hilarious for the rest of the staff to see the usually stoic faced nurse develop a twitch whenever their eyes fell on Jiraiya. _I am not sure who I want to burn,_ the Nurse revealed to their Yamanaka counsellor, _that pink-haired sannin or my fellow nurses for making me in charge of him… Some days I dream of burning them ALL._ Yamanaka Hiroshi declared that the nurse was the healthiest individual he had ever seen in his career. The readers of the report were left scratching their heads over Hiroshi’s declaration.)

A Henged Jiraiya left the hospital with a plan. A plan to figure out many things. Things like:

  * Dan’s grave ( _I want to pay my respects_ );
  * Orochimaru’s new home ( _he is living with an Uchiha; I have to see that!_ );
  * A formal _apology_ to his sensei ( _an apology I actually mean, considering what had happened in my absence… I should have come back sooner_ );
  * Checking on his new found nieces and nephews ( _How many children does Oro have again? Seven?_ );
  * Checking on Minato and Kushina ( _Minato will be happy to see me! At least that won’t change!_ )
  * Danzo’s grave ( _I_ _wonder if I can throw a party on the grave… Oro and the kids can join me!)_
  * And, of course, checking all the Hot Spring Resorts in the Village ( _Purely so I can maintain my reputation of a Lecher… I don’t feel all that desirous to see the springs right now…)_



Yes. Jiraiya has plans, and he is goin—“EEEK!”

Jiraiya _slips_ down the Hospital steps, his bottom bumping into each and every step on the way down, even as he tries to control his decent. He has been caught unawares and even now he can’t figure out just _how_ he has manged to _slip_ on the steps. He is a ninja! Ninja’s don’t slip!

Jiraiya bumps onto the ground, and sits there dazed over his fall. What just happened? His butt hurts like hell, and he knows there are bruises forming even as he sits and contemplates the last few minutes. But more than the pain in his butt, is the pain in his bruised pride. He has never in all his years of being a Ninja, slipped like this. How did he slip? He had been distracted, yes, but not so much that he hadn’t been aware of his steps, so how?

He looks around. There are villagers _staring_ at Jiraiya. There’s a look in their eyes that says they _know_ exactly what is going on, and that they _pity_ the one it is happening to. Some even look as though they are _praying_ for Jiraiya, which, what? Jiraiya can’t deal with confusing civilians right now. He looks around and freezes. There is a banana peel lying innocently nearby. A banana peel with a footprint on it that looks awfully like it came from Jiraiya’s shoes.

He slipped on a banana peel. _He_ slipped on a _banana Peel! I SLIPPED ON A BANANA PEEEL??!!??_

Well. Isn’t that nice? And ironic. And nice. And painful. And, did he mention nice?

Jiraiya is going to catch each and every one of these hooligans and string them up by their intestines on the Hospital entrance. Just to show his appreciation of their creativity.

 

(Hidden in the surrounding trees Kushina and Fugaku share a look. They can _see_ Jiraiya’s slightly crazy smile all the way from here. It is their turn to _take care of_ Jiraiya today, so they had decided to go the simple but brutal-for-the-ego route. It had worked better than they had thought. They share a smile of pure anticipation. Because having a fighting opponent is better than one who would take everything lying down. Things are going to get interesting.)

* * *

 

Jiraiya looks around carefully. He can sense no harmful intentions right now, so he might be safe. (He ignores the part of his brain that says that he hadn’t sensed any harmful intention yesterday or this morning, so maybe he should check it again?)

He has a feeling that no one will _prank_ him here. Not now, when he has come to pay his respects.

(He also has a suspicion that he may know who is doing the pranking. If he is correct, then he may have to change a lot of his plans… but that is a thought for later.)

The tombstone is neat, and the surrounding area blooming with carefully trimmed flowers and plants. It is a well-cared for grave, and Jiraiya can’t help but wonder who has been taking care of it, considering that Tsunade isn’t here, and the last of the Kato family is with her.

He knows who they might be. He can see the similarities between this grave and the graves of the Sarutobi and the Hachūrui clan. Orochimaru had always been more about showing his care subtly, than with loud declarations, hadn’t he? His parents’ grave had similar flowers growing around it, and he recognised that particular plant that was planted for those who belonged to the Sarutobi’s. Dan might have become family to them due to Tsunade, but that didn’t mean he had been forgotten just because Tsunade was no longer there.

Jiraiya kneels in front of the grave, his palms coming together in prayer, and immerses himself in the memories he has shared with this man. This man who he loved and hated. This man who he envied and admired. This man who was his friend and family. This man who died too young.

He thinks of the first time they had seen Dan. Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru had been but sixteen at that time. They had come back from a long mission, tired and temper strained. The tension between them had been a word away from exploding, so they had all been uncharacteristically quiet. Their sensei had understood, taking their written report with nary a word, just a tired smile sent their way as he shooed them away.

It was as they had exited the room, that they had seen a man waiting in the reception area. He had long grey hair, and was leaning against the wall, patient as though unaware of the other ninjas fleeting around him. Tsunade had been struck. It had been that inner peace that the other man excluded that had attracted Tsunade, especially at a time when everything was chaotic around her.

That had been the first time they had seen Dan, and Jiraiya had been jealous of the way Tsunade had tried to find out everything about the other man. A man four years older than her, and a man who had convictions stronger than her punch.

Jiraiya huffs a laugh, thinking about how he and Oro had witnessed the disaster that was Tsunade's and Dan's first real conversation.

“It was terrifying. I don’t know how you can laugh at that.”

“I am laughing because otherwise I’d start screaming like one who has just seen their greatest fear dancing in front of them,” Jiraiya answered, even as he kept his attention at the grave. “Hey, Oro. Do you remember what that fight was about? I think I might have blocked it from my mind.”

“Understandable,” Orochimaru said, as he gently kneeled next to Jiraiya, his shoulders brushing against him ( _subtle comfort, always with the subtle, weren’t you Oro? How much did I miss?),_ “I do believe it was about having a medic in every team. Dan wanted it to be made mandatory, while Tsunade wanted a team of Medics to act as a reaction unit. According Tsunade, it would have helped with the distribution of ninjas, and helped the individual teams to concentrate on fighting, rather than dividing their attentions into fighting the enemy and, at the same time, protecting their medic. Dan disagreed. Loudly and forcefully. He wanted a medic in every team so that the ninjas who were hurt didn’t have to wait for the Medic Team to be dispatched, and could be saved in time.”

“Ya, I remember now. Tsu-chan was spitting mad, wasn’t she?”

“As mad as she was when you called her ‘Tsu-chan’ the very first time.”

Jiraiya laughed, and laughed. His sides ached, and tears gathered in his eyes, but he continued to laugh. Oro stayed where he was, kneeled next to him, his shoulders brushing Jiraiya’s as he moved, eyes on a distant sky and not on the man falling apart next to him. Jiraiya appreciated the illusion of privacy more than he could say.

His breath slowed down, laughter tapering off. He looked at the grave once more, and mourned the life that could have been. What if’s and Could have been, the bane of every ninja that lived (every _one_ that lived actually).

Just for a moment, Jiraiya let himself go, let himself _imagine_ what could have been.

_A couple, whose love affected everyone who saw them, an exuberant Tsunade with a serene Dan. Oro, standing next to them, looking at them with exasperated yet fond eyes. Jiraiya laughing next to them, even as Tsunade lectured him on something or another. The nieces and nephews, Oro’s children whom he was yet to see, running around them, tripping on everything, jumping on their shoulders. Minato and Kushina, with red-haired and blue-eyes children, demanding Ramen. Mikoto and Fugaku, with dark-haired children, demanding Tomatoes, much to Kushina’s ire and embarrassment. Sensei, Biwako, Konomi, Asuma, all gathered around, sharing their warmth and love. Shizune, no longer an orphan, a sister beloved by many. A family, growing and growing, even as the world around them tried to stop them, tried to harm them. A family loving and loving, even as their hearts bled, even as their eyes turned dead. A family of what could have been._

Jiraiya took in a deep breath, and slowly let it go, along with the image that he had seen. A future that could no longer be. Harder to let go was the pain in his heart, but, one step at a time, as his sensei used to say when Jiraiya wanted to be good at _everything_ at once. One step at a time.

 

(In the future, not long after this moment, Jiraiya would suddenly look around him and start. He would see Oro looking at Sakumo with fondness in his eyes even as he let out an exasperated sigh. He would see Tsunade returned, a little wary, a lot broken, but _here_ and healing, teaching their nieces how to throw a punch, much to the fear of their nephews. He would see Oro’s children, his and Tsunade’s nieces and nephews, running around, enacting ninja fights, practicing their arts, or trying to climb the shoulders of the adults around them. He would see Minato hiding from a wrathful Mikoto, while Fugaku looked on serenely next to a laughing Kushina. He would see his sensei, dozing peacefully on a chair in spite of the chaos around him, and Biwako covering him with a blanket, a gentle smile on her face. He would stare, but not for long, as Asuma would take advantage of his distraction and jump on his back with a war cry and make Jiraiya spill his drink. As Jiraiya would lose himself into a mock fight, and be dog-piled by the many children, he would take a moment to thank any deity listening for this. For his family. A family he had thought would only _be_ in his dreams and imagination.)

* * *

 

The many eavesdroppers to the two grieving at the grave are silent. They each decide to let Jiraiya be for the day. They can continue their prank war tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! My work is keeping me busy, and everything I write has been turning serious. For a character portrayed as a comical one, writing Jiraiya is actually quite weighty. Since I did say this wouldn't be as cracky as the other works, I figured you guys wouldn't mind a little bit of seriousness. So here it is!
> 
> Enjoy, and do let me know about the typos I know are there, but can't find right now!  
> Thank you!! :)
> 
> Edit: Corrected typos, courtesy of Kri-Kee! Thank you!  
> Also, thank you bashfulglowfly for pointing out the "quite" and "quiet" typo!


	4. Past and Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya contemplates his place in life. He thinks about the past. But for all his worries about belonging (and broken jaws), he is sure of one thing: Hatake Sakumo needs to prove himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um. oops?   
> In my defense for the late chapter, my last weekend turned out hectic, as I caught a cold which turned into a fever.  
> So, sorry about the delay, please enjoy this offering.  
> And THANK YOU!!!!!

Jiraiya goes home.

Or he would if he had a home to _go_ to. As it is, he ends up in Oro’s Uchiha home sooner than he had planned (he had planned to visit, sure, but that didn’t mean his heart quailed at it sometimes… plans were made to be broken, didn’t you know?).

Looking around the two-storey house, Jiraiya feels like an interloper. There are signs everywhere that depict the personalities of the members of this home, and Jiraiya can see the influences left behind by Oro. The books on science and high level ninja arts mingling in the bookshelves admits cook-books, fiction and animal care journals. Oro’s scarf draped over the armchair, a few child sized kunai kept on the top of the book shelves, Oro’s sword collection hung in a room that looks like an office, sharing space with a few other weapons. The entrance hall has a collection of shoes, varying in sizes, and a number of slippers for the guests to wear.

There is a pair in Jiraiya’s size. He is wearing them now, and it’s painful in a way that has nothing to do with the comfort of the slippers. The slippers are very comfortable, though they are orange. It is the knowledge that they _expected_ him into their home that pains Jiraiya. _They knew I’d come back_ , _late but not never._ And it is this knowledge that slightly eases the tension he has been carrying around, ever since he returned.

Oro shows him to his room. A room on the same floor as Oro’s and the kids. The room is lightly coloured, with a bed and a dresser. There’s a bath attached to the room which Jiraiya appreciates (he doesn’t want the repeat of the hospital incident, thank you very much), and has permission to use as many seals as he wants for his protection. The only rule in protecting his room is that all seals are to be defensive and not offensive. There are curious ninja kids living in this house after all. No one wants them to be permanently scarred.

It is nice. It is kind. It is suffocating.

Jiraiya is loud, Jiraiya is open, Jiraiya is honest with his friends. Jiraiya is lost, Jiraiya is weary, Jiraiya is afraid he is losing his friends. Or maybe he has already lost them?

Tsunade is long gone, drifting like the wind with a child on her hips and the world’s grief in her heart.

Orochimaru is _here_ , yet he is not, he is a father, maybe a lover, and steadfast in a way that speaks of finding many anchors to help him walk on the ground, while still being free to fly from time to time.

Jiraiya is… He is not sure who he is now. A few days ago, he would have told you confidently that he is ‘Jiraiya, part of the Sannin, the Toad Sage, teacher to the brightest minds he has ever seen: Minato, Konan, Nagato and Yahiko. He is Jiraiya, part of a trio, coming home to his team and Tsunade’s Dan. He is Jiraiya, the prodigal son returned’. But now…

Now, he is Jiraiya, cast apart due to his own actions. He is Jiraiya, part of a team that is no longer one. He is Jiraiya, the prodigal son returned, but to a place that may not be his anymore. He is Jiraiya, teacher of the brightest minds he has ever seen, but also the one who _left_ them behind as wanderlust called him.

And even as regret claws at his heart, almost bringing him down to his knees, he can still feel the wind, the itch to _see_ , to _move,_ to walk on and on, and… and what does that say about him? That despite regret, despite the pain, he is still willing to _go_ and answer the call of the wind and the vast lands waiting for his footprint?

What does it say that even though he might lose his family, Jiraiya still _wants_ , nay _needs_ , to leave?

He doesn’t know, and he is scared of the answer.

 

(It says that somewhere he has hope. The somewhere in his heart he has trust. Hope and trust that his family will _understand._ That his family will not abandon him for being who he is, and will merely provide him with a nest where he can rest his wings. Hope and trust. It’s a good thing that for all his foolishness, Jiraiya has never been a fool about who to trust.)

* * *

 

“Well, that went well,” Jiraiya says, or at least tries too. All that comes out of his broken mouth (jaw is definitely broken; he has to go to the hospital _again. Damn it!)_ , is a mangled “w’ll, d’a ‘on’t ell”. Luckily for him, Oro has a Masters in the Language of Jiraiya, and as such understands the mangled words enough to raise a sardonic eyebrow.

(Jiraiya is startled to realise that he is feeling _fond_ , underneath all that pain. He has truly missed his friend.)

The cause of his broken jaw snorts from where he is being held back by a stoic but amused Fugaku, and a laughing Kushina. Minato’s anger is justified, and that is the only reason Jiraiya had allowed him to sock him in the jaw.

(Jiraiya studiously ignores the voice that says he hadn’t even _seen_ Minato move before being punched, and that his allowance had nothing to do with his broken jaw.)

As Minato cools down, Jiraiya warily probes his jaw (broken, no doubt about it, but not bleeding too much; he has time before he needs to see a healer). Orochimaru rolls his eyes and stops Jiraiya from poking his jaw and making the break worse ( _I am surrounded by children!_ His eyes say, and Jiraiya tries to pout).

Fugaku sighs and comes forward. As Jiraiya eyes him warily ( _is he going to punch me too?)_ , Fugaku raises a green coated hand, and lays it gently on Jiraiya’s jaw. Jiraiya call feel his eyes widen, as his jaw slowly heals. _That was unexpected._

Minato grumbles. Kushina hits his head. Fugaku rolls his eyes.

And, since, Jiraiya is still Jiraiya, regardless of regrets and apologies in his heart, the first thing he says through his newly healed mouth is, “Soooo, a threesome, eh? Minato, you sly dog! Can I watch?” He leers.

No one is surprised when Fugaku ends up breaking Jiraiya’s jaw. This time Jiraiya has to go to the hospital to heal it, since Fugaku refuses to do it, Minato looks too busy supporting a wildly laughing Kushina, and Oro is giving him a look that says ‘actions have consequences, live with your consequence’ _(living with children and Sakumo has increased the potency and articulation of Oro’s Looks)._

 

(In the hospital, the Nurse-Who-Saw-Too-Much takes one look at Jiraiya and vanishes. Oro startles at the sudden disappearance of the Nurse, while Jiraiya studiously ignores that something has happened. When Oro turns curious eyes at him, Jiraiya merely clenches his broken jaw, and goes to find a free medic to heal him. Oro and his child-learnt puppy dog eyes be damned! Jiraiya is _never_ telling anyone about his encounter with the Nurse!)

* * *

 

Once healed, _again_ , Jiraiya makes his way to the Academy, hoping to give Minato and Kushina some time to cool off. Besides, he really wants to see his nephews and nieces! ( _Especially the Uchiha child who started it all… I wonder…I wonder if the child is the way I think he is…)_

He has heard a lot about what has happened in his absence. The villager are full of gossip, especially when it comes to the whirlwind of meetings and stalking that was the beginning of Oro’s new family. And while Jiraiya has been with Oro constantly, he has a shadow clone going around Konoha gathering information in disguise. As such, there are a lot of things about Oro’s family he has learnt, things that Oro hasn’t had time to mention. Things like Hatake Sakumo.

It one of the reasons Jiraiya really wants his expectation of the little Uchiha child to be accurate. If the child does Love Oro the way Jiraiya believes ( _a father, an older brother, someone to protect, and allow protection from…)_ then Jiraiya _knows_ he will have an ally for his future plans. Plans that involve Hatake Sakumo.

Oh, Jiraiya is willing to take the punishment his family believes he needs for leaving them behind ( _it wasn’t so much as leaving them behind, as it was of letting them walk on their paths while he walked his… he couldn’t walk their paths, and he didn’t want to make them walk his. But he had walked his with the belief that their paths would cross, perhaps he should have convinced them of the same before leaving, and avoided the unnecessary heartbreaks)_ ; but that doesn’t mean he won’t add his own energy into protecting them. Protecting Oro and his first son. Even if it is protection form Hatake Sakumo.

Jiraiya has every intention of finding out Sakumo’s intentions, and exactly what role he wishes to play in the family Oro and _Obito_ have built together. Regardless of their anger and hurt towards him, these two _are_ his family, and he will protect them. 

 

(He wants to know if Sakumo's interest is based on curiosity or genuine affection. Anything less than love and loyalty from Sakumo towards Oro and his family will not be tolerated by Jiraiya. He has no intention of letting Oro and the kids feel rejected. Not again. Not ever if he has anything to say about it.)

* * *

 

Jiraiya knows, knows it well, the pain of finding a family, thinking ‘this is it, this is home’, and having the family decide that _he_ wasn’t what they wanted. He had been four, and he had been adopted thrice. Three times he looked at a couple, called them ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’ with all his heart and love, only for them to turn around and smile and say ‘sorry’. Only for them to leave him back in the orphanage. He had been five, when couple number four came in to see the children and looked at him. This time, he had been the one to turn around. To turn away.

He had been five when he had entered the Academy, hope still somewhere in his heart, though buried under the pain of rejection. He had entered his class, seen all these other children, and wondered. Wondered that if he cannot have a ‘Mother’ or ‘Father’, then maybe, just maybe, he could have a ‘Brother’ or ‘Sister’. Wouldn’t that be nice?

He had been six, when he was put into a team with a strong opinionated ( _loud-mouthed)_ girl, and a silent genius boy. He had hated them. The girl for her brightness, which he had to fake. The boy for his genius, which he had to work for. And mostly, he hated them for the people they had waiting for them at home.

He had been six and a half, working with his team in name only, working hard, as _his_ teacher tried to become _theirs_ but didn’t know how ( _He can look back and see now how Sensei too had struggled, Sensei had been young when he had taken them as his students, and becoming the Hokage at the same time hadn’t helped)_.

The moment Jiraiya changed his hate to love wasn’t a profound one. It wasn’t noteworthy, and indeed it could be easily forgotten in the many moments that followed, and yet it is one Jiraiya holds deep in his heart ( _perhaps too deep, he had kept the love, but forgotten the realisations the moment had bought)_.

The team, yet not-team, had been given a day-off under the stipulation that they spend at least half of it together. They had grumbled ( _Jiraiya had grumbled, Tsunade had complained, Orochimaru had been silent. But their eyes! Oh, their eyes! They had all wanted to be with each other)_ , and gone to spend the day looking around the market. It had been there, as Jiraiya focused not on hating his team mates, but on the various objects he would buy once he had enough money that he first noticed the whispers.

Whispers of duty and honour that gently wafted towards Tsunade, and turned to chains around her feet. Whispers of snake eyes and poisons that swept up Orochimaru, and made him into a murderer with blood free hands. Whispers of _Hokage’s granddaughter_ , and the _Hachūrui clan heir_ , that came with many expectations. Expectations which the people believed were the six year old children’s _responsibility_ to either follow or brake, and accordingly be judged by it.

It was the first time the Jiraiya truly _heard_ ( _and he never stopped after that, hence his spy rings)_ , and turned to _see_ his teammates. He had always seen what they had, but that day he saw what the cost of being who they were was. And he didn’t like it.

He took a step back, came between the startled two, held their hands, and laughing, dragged them towards the children’s playground, shouting something about how they should play the games sensei would never let them play ( _Today he knows that Sensei would have, he would have happily built a playground of their own if it meant they could have that little bit of innocence left. That day it had been an excuse Jiraiya used to deafen his_ family _from listening to the ‘stupid-idiotic whispers’)._ It had worked better than he had thought ( _of course it had!)_.

It had been the first step they had taken towards becoming friends and family, and Jiraiya knows that in spite of their differences now, he only has to take their hands and shout their destination, and they will come along with him with many questions in their mouths, but nary a hesitance in their walk.

It is also for this reason that Jiraiya knows _exactly_ the kind of a boy Obito is when he finally meets him. Louder than the whispers ( _genius, orphan, GREEN??, experiments!, crazy, immoral!, should have been killed- all that ice! What if it hurts someone!?)_ , brighter than the darkness that threatens ( _we will have to be killers so that there can be innocents in the world),_ and kind in places where it could lead to his death ( _an honest ninja? What were they thinking?!?)._

And he knows, that though Obito is angry with him, it is an anger for the sake of a loved one, and not a personal one. It would soon fade, especially once Obito sees that Orochimaru is fine with Jiraiya. And when that does?

Well, a budding prankster should always have a target to practice, didn’t you know? And Jiraiya has the _perfect_ target in mind for Obito’s training.

 

(Amidst making plans for dinner – _will Dai come for dinner today?_ – and buying silly things to woo Orochimaru, with Hatake Sakumo feels a cold shiver run down his spine. He gets the feeling someone has declared _war_ against him. He _smiles_. The shopkeeper Sakumo was bargaining with decides his life is more important than his wares, and gives in to the low price Sakumo wants to pay for the doll’s clothes. The _smile_ grows, _Oro will be so happy with these!_ )

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Orochimaru be happy with doll's clothes? What is Sakumo thinking? Who knows?! Certainly not the author writing this!
> 
> THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT! AND PATIENCE! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> PS: Forgive me my mistakes!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I have added another work to this series which is the Timeline, so in case you get confused, do read it, or let me know!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
